Ohio Senate Judiciary Committee

Ohio Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday, May 2, 2017 Proponent Testimony - Senate Bill 4

My name is Phyllis Carlson-Riehm and I represent ACTION OHIO Coalition For Battered Women. I am presenting proponent testimony for Senate Bill 4, sponsored by Senators Stephanie Kunze and Scott Oelslager.

Senate Bill 4  Would allow for the expungement of any of a list of specified offenses (excluding aggravated murder, murder or rape) related to the offender being a victim of human trafficking.  Would enact a mechanism for the expungement of records related to a finding of not guilty or to a dismissed criminal charge, if either one was the result of being a victim of human trafficking.  Would enable the expungement of more than one offense, although the court would consider the request for each offense separately if application had been made for each offense.  Would authorize intervention in lieu of conviction for a person whose criminal activity resulted from the person’s status as a victim of compelling prostitution.

ACTION OHIO’s support for this bill is based on research which indicates that individuals who become human trafficking victims are typically 1) Victims of child abuse and/or of child sexual abuse and rape, or 2) Teen or adult victims of abuse and/or sexual abuse and rape.

Perpetrators target the most vulnerable individuals, deliberately groom them to be manipulated and controlled, and often trick responsible adults into believing that the targeted child or adult is benefiting from his or her special attention and gifts.

Without passage of Senate Bill 4, victims of human trafficking who seek rehabilitation and starting life over face barriers to obtaining stable housing and employment, due to their criminal record that is directly or indirectly related to their trafficking experiences. Prospective landlords and employers typically screen out applicants with arrests and convictions for multiple offenses. Human trafficking victims are not likely to disclose their past victimization and abuse. Without access to safe, stable housing and opportunities to obtain basic needs through employment, victims will continue to be at risk for slipping back into substance abuse, despair and poverty, and a return to their past life.

I urge committee members to support passage of this bill. Human trafficking victims deserve the chance to break free from abuse and to recover from the trauma they have experienced. Passage of Senate Bill 4 will help pave the way to a new life. Thank you for your consideration of these views.

Phyllis L Carlson-Riehm, Executive Director ACTION OHIO Coalition For Battered Women / PO Box 423, Worthington OH 43085 614 825-0551 / Toll Free 888 622-9315 / [email protected] / www.actionohio.org

5-2-17 Sen JUD Com'tee-SB 4 Proponent Testimony